Transparency is the practice of openly sharing information, reasoning, and processes to build trust and enable informed decisions—replacing opacity with authentic communication.
What To Share
Information:
- Pricing and costs
- Processes and timelines
- Capabilities and limitations
- Results and outcomes
Reasoning:
- Why decisions were made
- How approaches were chosen
- What tradeoffs exist
- When things change
Processes:
- How things work
- What to expect
- Who does what
- When things happen
Why It Matters
Transparency builds:
- Trust through openness
- Confidence through clarity
- Partnership through honesty
- Loyalty through authenticity
What It’s NOT
- Sharing everything indiscriminately
- Overwhelming with detail
- Avoiding difficult conversations
- Pretending perfection
The Balance
Effective transparency:
- Shares what matters
- Communicates clearly
- Admits limitations
- Explains reasoning
- Builds understanding
Transparency isn’t weakness—it’s the foundation of authentic partnership.